


The Shrine Maiden and Her Fox

by MyDemons



Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: Alternate Universe, Canon Divergence, F/F, Fluff, I'll add tags as I think of them/ they come up, Kitsune!Eli, Lesbian!Nozomi, Magic, Oh look another story I'll never finish, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-07
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2019-11-13 14:35:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18033542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyDemons/pseuds/MyDemons
Summary: Nozomi Toujo, a well known shrine maiden, is invited to take care of the Inari Shrine. Her first day there, she is haunted by a nightmare that seems to change slightly everyday she is there.Her life is flipped from being a simple shrine maiden to a zoo keeper as the kitsune already there and the ayakashi who seem to be drawn to her presence.(I'm bad with summaries, so bare with me Dx )





	1. Chapter I

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to yet another fanfiction I will probably never finish Dx anyway~ I had this in my head for a while so heres my Nozomi x Eli fanfic! Nozomi is my baby, and I love her to death.

Toujo Nozomi held her bag close to her chest, the contents of said bag seeming almost sacred by the way she held it so tightly. In reality, it only held her meager personal belongings. She tightened her grip on the bag as she looked up at the large shrine before her. 

 

It was a stunning shrine; stone gates lead the way from the stairs were she had stopped all the way to the front of the redwood building. Gold lined the building, as well as a few statues of foxes guarding the entrance. On either side, two tall, strong cherry blossom trees bloomed in full, sending pink petals around the shrine with the wind. Some landed in the small pools, glistening with fresh water. 

 

To say the least, the girl was in awe. She had heard the shrine was beautiful - but she didn’t expect it to be  _ this  _ beautiful! 

 

“Ah, Ms. Toujo!” Someone called from inside the shrine. The woman stepped out, her hair graying, but nevertheless held an air of authority. She stepped out to greet the girl, to which Nozomi bowed. 

 

“Hello, Mrs. Owata,” she smiled, putting her bag down beside her foot. Owata Rin, the Priestess of the Inari Shrine. “I hope I’m not late. The train ran into some issues on the way here.”

 

“Not by much,” the woman chuckled. “Here, let me take you to the room. You’ll be staying in the shrine for the time being until we finish clearing out the room in the sleeping quarters.”

 

“No problem!” Nozomi said cheerfully, bouncing on her toes. “Thank you for having me.”

 

“Of course,” Owata smiled. “It’s always good to have new shrine maidens. Ours keep fleeing our shrine.”

 

Nozomi tilted her head at the sigh the woman let go. “They’ve left? How come?” 

 

“We aren’t sure,” the older woman replied. “On to bigger shrines, most likely.”

 

“Ah, I see,” Nozomi chuckled. She looked around, her eyes focusing on the big cherry blossom tree. Something moved among the branches, and Nozomi swore she saw a flash of something blonde among the pink flowers. 

 

“Right this way,” Owata lead her toward the shrine. She opened a hidden door near the back, leading to a much larger section that was clearly off limits for visitors. 

 

She was lead through a hall toward the back of the shrine, and then into a large room. A bed had already been made for her, as well as dressers and a mirror. On the bed was her shrine maiden gown, ironed and ready for her to wear. 

 

The room was quite pretty, filled with shades of blue and pink as well a a bit of white to contrast it. “Wow,” Nozomi gasped. “All this, for me? That wasn’t necessary!”

 

“Of course it was,” Owata chuckled. “Of course, it wasn’t my idea. The Lady of the shrine seemed it improper to keep you in a dank room.”

 

_ Lady of the shrine?  _ Nozomi thought.  _ Does she mean…? _

 

“I’ll let you settle in, then,” Owata bowed at the entrance, closing the door behind her and leaving Nozomi alone in the room. She quickly unpacked her clothing, putting it away before taking out the small fox plushie and placing it on her bed. She giggled softly to herself, finding the irony of it. 

 

She looked around the room again, playing with her hair. It was weird, she decided, that the Lady of the shrine deemed her worthy of such an honor as living in the shrine. But she shrugged it off. 

 

“Alright,” she sat on the bed, touching the gown softly in awe. She was honored to have been allowed to be a shrine maiden in the first place, not to mention being hand picked to another shrine!

 

She smiled, laying back on the bed. The warmth and the exhaustion from the trip made her eyelids feel heavy. “I guess a little nap wouldn’t hurt,” she mumbled before dozing off. 

  
  


_ She noticed instantly that she was dreaming. The world felt familiarly foreign. She was standing outside the shrine, looking up. The area around it was the same, until she blinked, and everything was burning. Even though she knew she was dreaming, she still called out to something. Her body moved on its own, and she rushed forward.  _

 

_ The heat of the flames hit her face, and she recoiled as burning wood fell just in front of her, blocking her passageway in. She fell to her knees, fear pooling in her gut as she watched helplessly as the shrine burned before her.  _

 

_ Something in the corner moved, and her vision focused on the creature. It stared at her, blue eyes fixed onto her and holding fiery rage equal to that of the flames eating away at the shrine. It stared unblinking at her from on top of one of the fox statues.  _

 

_ Nozomi stared at the blonde fox, feeling the heat of the fire closing in on her. She blinked, and the shrine was in ruins before her. Ash fell from the sky like rain, and all that remained of the shrine was burnt wood, dusty rocks and dead cherry blossoms. The air was thick, hard to breathe, and Nozomi felt like her body would give away at any moment.  _

 

_ She saw it again. The fox sat before the shrine, it’s back to her. Seven tails sat loosely at its back, and Nozomi felt her body lurch forward to the ground. She looked up, the familiar blue eyes staring at her from over its shoulder. It’s eyes were filled with sadness this time. And the overwhelming sadness seemed to be contagious as Nozomi felt hot tears start to fall from her eyes. Her vision went blurry, and then it faded to white.  _

  
  


She opened her eyes to be greeted with sunlight hitting her face. Rolling over, she realized she had tucked herself into the bed at some point. It had been late in the evening when she arrived at the shrine, which meant she had slept through the night and well into the morning hours. 

 

“Shit!” She exclaimed, jumping out of the warmth of the covers and quickly changing into her gown. The white and red robe felt comfortable on her, and she flattened it out before tying her hair into two loose ponytails and letting them fall to their respective sides. 

 

Nozomi exited the room, being greeted with a warm breeze from the open hallway. She inhaled, the scent of flowers filling her lungs. “Alright!” 

 

She made her way to the front of the shrine where she spotted Owata speaking with an unfamiliar girl. Her blonde hair was tied up, and she was much taller than Owata. She seemed to be cross, as her eyes were squinted and she wore a frown. She wore almost the exact same outfit as Owata, save for the ears and tail. 

 

_ Wait, what?  _ Nozomi blinked, wiped her eyes, and looked again once the stars had left her sight. Nope, they were still there. The girl flailed her arms, which caused Owata to laugh. The girls face went red, and she turned away from her. 

 

Nozomi felt like a deer in headlights once their eyes made contact. They stared at each other for what felt like forever, and Nozomi felt her heart quicken. Anxiety? 

 

“Ah,” the fox girl exclaimed. “She saw.” 

 

“Oh! Morning Toujo,” Owata beckoned her over. “Meet Eli, the Lady of the shrine.”

 

“The Lady if the shrine…” her voice trailed off as visions of her dream came back into her head, like lightning hitting the ground. Her head pounded for a moment, before she was brought back to reality. She bowed. “Nice to meet you! I’m Toujo Nozomi!”

 

“Hrm,” The girl scratched her cheek. “Likewise, I suppose.” 

 

Owata chuckled, handing a broom over to Nozomi. “If you wouldn’t mind, the girls are in the back by the hot spring. If you could sweep up the front that would be wonderful. Oh, and be careful of the foxes.”

 

It sounded like a question, a request, but Nozomi knew it was an order. She nodded, gripping the broom and walking to the front of the shrine. She started sweeping away the petals, humming along and getting lost in her head. 

 

_ Lady of the shrine? That means she’s the God - or we’ll, Goddess, of this shrine! What an honor! _

 

Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt someone watching her. She turned to look around, seeing nothing. She shrugged, turning back around only to jump back with a yelp when someone’s face was rather close to hers. The girl looked at her, crimson eyes holding her hostage. Nozomi could see the ears on her head, and she could hear her tail hitting the dirt, stirring up more sand and petals to sweep. 

 

“Ah,” the fox stepped back. “You’re that new house keeper. Finally someone to keep the place clean. That old Priestess doesn’t do anything!”

 

“Nico!” A voice hissed, and Nozomi looked to see Eli walking up to them. “Play nice, we are fortunate enough to have Rin take care of the place. You’d starve you’d to death if it weren’t for her.”

 

The black haired fox looked down, her ears flat as if submitting. “Whatever,” she huffed. 

 

“Sorry about her,” Eli placed her hand on her shoulder. “The kitsune here aren’t used to humans.”

 

“That’s alright,” Nozomi smiled, to which the girl flushed and looked away. She chuckled. 

 

“What?” She asked, looking back. 

 

“You just looked so cute when you got embarrassed,” she giggled again. Eli flushed harder, turning her head and allowing her tail to wag slightly. 

 

“N-no,” the fox managed to squeak out. “Just-Just get back to work!”

 

“Aye, Ms. Fox,” Nozomi replied, still smiling. She returned to her sweeping, this time uninterrupted. 


	2. Chapter II

A week passed since Nozomi has arrived at the shrine, and she was slowly becoming more and more comfortable with her new surroundings. She had met a few of the other girls, some kitsune some human. All equally quirky. 

 

Nozomi hummed as she stepped into the hot spring. The hot water felt amazing after working hard all day and she let out a sigh of content. 

 

Her gaze moved from the water to the sky above her, seeing the stars illuminating the night. The moon was barely visible, being only a small slice in the sky. 

 

“How lazy,” Nico huffed as she slipped into the water beside her.

 

“Says the one coming in with me,” Nozomi teased. Nico shrugged. 

 

“Yeah yeah, good point,” she resigned. A soft sigh escaped the black fox as she sunk into the water. Her tail stirring up water beside her. “It feels so good~” Nico sighed again, half of wee face under the water now. 

 

“It’s quite nice to sit and relax after a long day,” Nozomi agreed. She looked at the relaxing girl, getting an idea. 

 

She reached for her shoulder, terming her around and splashing water at the confused fox. “Hey!” Nico cried out, retaliating by launching herself at her. The two ended up under the water, patting playfully at each other. When they came up for air, both laughed joyously.

 

The two had gotten close within the week, and Nozomi considered Nico to be a good friend. 

 

“You’re both so loud,” Eli commented as she stepped out of the shrine and toward the two. Her towel wrapped around her body, but leaving just enough skin for ones imagination to run rampant. 

 

“Ehh, you’re so mean!” Nozomi fake pouted, before flicking water and Nico again. It hit her face, and she jumped onto her again, but this time Nozomi was ready. She grabbed her side and flipped her so she was behind her, and wrapped her hands around her front. 

 

“I don’t think so,” she grinned, squeezing. The girl shrieked, reaching for the rocks to ge away. Nozomi let go, and the fox fell forward into the water. 

 

“Uncalled for!” Nico his her chest with her arms, face red with embarrassment. She looked at Nozomi, then down at her chest, then to Eli’s. “Unfair! Boob Monster!”

 

“Aw,” Nozomi made squishing motions with her hands and stepped toward her. “Don’t worry, they’ll grow!”

 

“Sh-shut up!” Nico turned around, pulling herself from the water and sitting on the edge. Her arms still covered her chest. 

 

Eli chuckled, dipping into the water. Her tail floated on the surface of the water, her ears relaxed as her eyes closed in bliss. “The joys of a human body.”

 

“Human bodies have a lot of ‘joys’,” Nozomi pointed out. She tapped her chin with a finger, as if thinking. “Although I think the tails and ears are super cute.”

 

“C-cute,” Eli repeated to herself, looking away. She sat up on the rocks, with only her feet in the water.

 

“Ehh? Is Eli embarrassed by being called cute?” Nico snickered, and shared a quick glance with Nozomi. 

 

“Not at all,” she huffed. Nozomi chuckled, and Nico silently went around to the girls back. 

 

“So cute~” Nozomi purred, laughing at the reddening face of the blonde. “You’re so cute I could just eat you up, Elicchi!”

 

“Sh-st-stop,” she hid her face in her hands, and Nico went for the attack. She pushed Eli’s back, and the fox fell forward with a loud yelp. 

 

Nozomi looked away as water splashed into her face, temporarily forcing her eyes to close. She opened them and looked back to see a blonde fox trying desperately to swim toward them. 

 

Nozomi gasped, looking to Nico, who fled the scene like she was being chased. “Why you!-“

 

“You were so embarrassed you turned into a fox!” Nozomi smiled. The fox jumped out of the water, shaking her fur before sitting and looking at her. Nozomi met her gaze, and her body froze. The dream flashed in her mind again, seeing the foxes raw rage like fire in her eyes caused her to fall back. It was like she was reliving a dream, and she tried to blink to clear it away. 

 

But all it did was make her vision go blurry. She fell into the water, unconscious. 


	3. Chapter III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nozomi wakes up to a pleasant surprise, as well as an unexpected guest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this chapter is a bit all over the place! It’s kinda long too, which I apologize for. As always, suggestions and critiques always welcome!!

Nozomi woke with a headache. Her eyes hurt as she tried to open them, the light in the room forcing them shut. She groaned, trying to move to face the other way. 

 

When she did, she sighed, opening her eyes again only to be met with a face full of something soft and squishy. Confused, she reached out and put her hand on whatever it was. She squeezed her hand slightly, and something breathed in her head. 

 

“D-don’t do that!” Nozomi jumped, slamming her head into the others chin. She could hear the foxes teeth hit each other as she recoiled. 

 

“Sorry!” Nozomi patted her own head, the headache getting a bit worse from the impact. Eli sat up, rubbing her jaw with one hand as the other held her up. 

 

“It’s fine,” she grumbled. “How are you feeling? Your face is all red. Do you have a fever?”

 

“I’m okay, just a headache,” she explained, keeping her gaze hard focused on the foxes face. The girl gave her a confused look, her tail wagging beside her. She looked down at herself, quickly covering her chest which seemed to have spilled out of her robe. 

 

“Sorry to have startled you awake like that,” Eli coughed once she fixed her robe. “You passed out in the spring, so I carried you here. You didn’t wake up so I was worried.”

 

“So you slept with me?” Nozomi teased, which the fox returned with a flush of the cheeks and turned her head away. 

 

“I dozed off is all,” she mumbled. “Didn’t want something to happen to you. So I planned on staying as long as I could.”

 

“Aww,” Nozomi leaned toward her, grinning. “You looove me!”

 

“I do not!” Eli hissed, falling off the bed and earning laughter from the bluenette. The fox sat up, running her butt before sitting back in the bed. She stared at her for a moment, before even she couldn’t help but laugh. 

 

Nozomi’s heart fluttered at the heavenly sound. Her laugh was beautiful, and the maiden found herself wanting to hear it more often. When the two settled down, Nozomi fell onto her back on the bed, stretching herself out. It was at that moment she realized she was naked. 

 

Not that she minded, of course.  _ Eli said she carried me here and watched me… does that mean she also stripped me? _ Nozomi snickered at this. 

 

“I see,” she smirked. 

 

“See what?” Eli asked, confused. Nozomi looked down at the blanket covering herself, and in one, quick movement, it flew up and over them. Nozomi heard Eli screech as she grabbed her by the sides and pulled her to the other side of the bed. Happy with this position, Nozomi buried her nose into the crook of the others neck. “Wh-What are you doing?!”

 

“Isn’t this much more comfy?” She asked innocently. Eli reaches to push her away, and her cold hand slipped past Nozomi’s arms and grabbed her sides. She shivered. 

 

“Wait-ah!” Eli squirmed. “I am a Goddess! Let me go!” She whined, to which Nozomi hummed and ignored. 

 

“Why would I do that?” She asked, hugging into the girl tighter. She could feel her heart beating. “I’m so nice and warm~ it was so cold without sleepwear on.”

 

“A-ah,” Eli stiffened.  _ She just realized.  _ Nozomi took this opportunity to press closer to her, earning a squeak from the Goddess. “I didn’t mean- I was going to- I didn’t intend too-“ she rambled in, her sentences blurring together as she desperately tried to clear her name. 

 

“I’m just teasing,” Nozomi let the fox go, turning to look at the roof. “Jeez, don’t take it so seriously!” 

 

“Pervert,” Eli mumbled, and Nozomi smirked. 

 

“I didn’t hear you,” she turned back over, again wrapping the fox in an embrace. She ran her hand down her side, stopping on her hip and looking up with an innocent expression. “Could you repeat that?”

 

“Pervert!” She screeched, finally jumping out of the bed. As soon as she hit the floor, a puff of smoke clouded Nozomi’s vision. When it cleared, a blonde fox sat where Eli should have been. 

 

“So cute!” Nozomi reached down and picked her up, nuzzling into her fur. The fox pawed at her, but weakly. “Ah~ so soft, too!”

 

She hugged the fox close, content in just cuddling her. Nozomi finally put her down, standing up and stretching, her arms above her head and leaning back. She slipped into her uniform, turning to the fox and offering a smile. She exited her room, leaving the door open for Eli to exit when she pleased. 

 

“Right this way,” Nozomi stopped where she was, hearing Owata behind her. She turned, facing her and noticed another person beside her. The girl looked younger than her, her blonde hair tied to the side with a white bow. 

 

Nozomi took a moment to scan her, noticing she wore all white with the exception of black trimming on her skirt. She felt something grab her, pushing her down to the floor roughly. 

 

The air was knocked from her lungs as she was held down by something. Sharp claws dig into her shoulder blade, only to be suddenly ripped off as something else jumped at it. 

 

Nozomi barely had time to look up when she saw Nico holding someone down. Her there tails wagged violently behind her, and she seemed to be very angry. With the help of Owata, Nozomi was back on her feet, watching as Nico held Er place. 

 

Black wings flailed about, covering the kitsune from view. She saw then, the girls face and her arms trying to push the fox off of her. 

 

“That’s enough, Nico,” Eli appeared behind them, and Nico jumped off, standing beside Nozomi protectively. The winged girl stood up, brushing off her wings and matching the glare between herself and Nico. 

 

“Eli!” The blonde clapped together, smiling brightly at Eli. “Long time no see!”

 

“It’s been a few years, Kotori. How is the shrine? Seems Umi is becoming a very good guard,” she smirked. 

 

“Yes! The shrine is well, and Umi has proven to be a very big help. Honaka sends her regards, but she needed to keep the rest of the Tengu in line back at the shrine.”

 

_ Shrine? Is she also a goddess?  _ Nozomis assumptions were proven true as Owata explained that she was from another shrine; the Shi Shrine. She was Kotori, the Goddess of Death and the bird lady was Umi, her Tengu guard. 

 

“Nice to meet you,” Nozomi bowed, and Kotori giggled. 

 

“No need for such formality,” she waved it off. “Umi, apologize to this girl for attacking her. Now.” Her voice seemed to change from sweet to menacing as she uttered the final order. The Tengu stood in front of her, eyeing her, but opened her mouth to speak. 

 

“Sorry,” she mumbled, and Nozomi chuckled. 

 

“Apology accepted,” she smiled. The Tengu looked at her hard, before placing herself at Kotoris side. 

 

“What brings you here? I didn’t know you were planning to visit?” Eli asked, leaning on the wall. She seemed to have recovered from their earlier moments. 

 

“A little bird told me there was an exemplary maiden here,” she explained. “One with a lot of potential.”

 

Nozomi shivered at the way she spoke. The way she said potential made her feel uneasy, but she let it go as she looked at Nico, who was still glaring at Umi. Nozomi placed a hand on her shoulder, and she seemed to calm down instantly. 

 

“Oh? And you wanted to meet her?” Eli challenged, the air around them seeming to spark. 

 

“Of course! It’s been years since there’s been an Otome. And in your shrine, nevertheless!” Kotori smiled again, seeming to be congratulatory. 

 

“An Otome? You’re sure?” Eli lowered her voice, leaning in to Kotori to whisper between themselves. 

 

Kotori made a hand movement, and Umi was suddenly beside Nozomi. Her wing went up to hide them, and she pushed them forward with her other. 

 

Nozomi obliged, while Nico gave some rebellion before finally following suit. 

 

They were outside the shrine soon after, and Umi let we wings fall to her back. Her talons scratched the dirt beneath her, and she looked around absently. Her face had a neutral expression, and then suddenly she landed her gaze onto Nozomi. 

 

“Uhm,” Nozomi stood where she was, a bit frightened by the intensity of her gaze. “I’m Nozomi Toujo.”

 

“I know who you are,” she replied, crossing her arms. “Nozomi Toujo, from a small town called Kaweta north of here. No siblings and parents deceased since a young age. Specialize in spiritual rituals, a great shrine maiden and very well known for your,” the girl looked down for a moment, her eyes flicking back up. “Great personality.”

 

_ Great personality she says, _ Nozomi have a bashful smile, rubbing her head. “I wouldn’t go that far. I’m not that great.”

 

“Nonsense,” Umi steppes closer, grabbing her hands in her own and staring at her with interest. “You were able to disarm me in seconds! What’s your secret? A charm? A spell? Magic? Are you a witch?!”

 

Taken aback by the sudden questioning, Nozomi blinked at her blankly. “I, What?”

 

“I attacked you and then suddenly all my strength was gone! It was like it had been sucked outa me,” she explained, leaning in again. “Explain!”

 

“Ah, I well, I have no idea?” 

 

“What?!” Umi screeched, her eyes wide. “How do you not know?!”

 

“Would you be quiet?” Nico hissed, standing beside Nozomi, her ears flat and her eyes narrowed. “You’re to loud.”

 

“You can’t tell me you don’t feel it,” Umi questioned.

 

“I dunno what your talking about,” she mumbled, her tail wagging in irritation behind her. 

 

Umi opened her mouth to speak again when she was silenced by some invisible force. Nozomi looked over her shoulder to see Eli and Kotori exiting the shrine together, laughing and talking. She got a weird feeling in her gut, but she tried her best to ignore it. 

 

“Ah, there you are!” Kotori clapped her hands together, smiling gleefully at them. “We’ll be staying here a few days, so I hope everyone can get along!”

 

Nozomi nodded, offering a polite smile to them, turning to look at Eli, who averted her gaze in favour of staring at the Goddess beside her. 

 

Nozomi really, really didn’t like that. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bluenette isn’t a word - but dammit I’m gonna use I anyway!


	4. Chapter IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New characters make an appearance!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long! Lots of homework and tests lately. But here it is! Major plot development next chapter, as well as maybe some “bonus” soon ;)

The next morning, Nozomi has taken to wiping off the statues of the shrines, using a cloth and a bit of warm water to remove some of the grime from the crevices. She hummed to herself, enjoying the warmth of the sun and having something mindless to do allowed her to think. 

 

Her humming turned into softly singing without her realizing it. She reached to the top of the foxes head, wiping it off gently as she sung. 

 

“I know that song,” Eli suddenly spoke from behind her, causing Nozomi to fall from her ladder in shock. Luckily, Eli has caught her and set her down on her feet without harm. 

 

“Thank you,” Nozomi brushed off her legs, looking back at the statue. “My mother used to sing it to me when I was little. I’m surprised I can remember the words at all.”

 

“It’s a really pretty song,” Eli agreed, gazing up at the stone fox. “In any event, the festival is tomorrow. We need to work hard to get the shrine set up for worshipers. We are a common visit this time of year.”

 

“Oh! A festival?” Nozomi asked, excited. “What festival?”

 

“Festival of The Harvest,” Eli said. “Since this shrine is the closest to where the festival is held, we usually get quite a few visitors. Not to mention the Yokai who like to visit.”

 

Nozomi giggled at her sigh at the end. It was cute how easily frustrated she seemed to be. “Festival huh? Sounds fun!”

 

“I’ve never been,” Eli shrugged, crossing her arms over her chest and allowing her tail to wave expectantly. 

 

“Really?” Nozomi saw the bait dangling in front of her face, and she happily took it. “Want to go? If we have time, anyway.”

 

The way Eli’s face lit up made Nozomis chest flutter, causing a small smile to appear in her face again. “I mean, if you’d like to go, I have no problem attending with you. You know, so you aren’t alone.”

 

“I’d be happy to have you,” Nozomi smiled again. “Why don’t we invite Nico as well?” Eli’s face fell a bit. “Or we could just go together?”

 

“It-it doesn’t matter to me,” she replied. “Nicos loud and may drag too much attention to herself if she went. Plus she can’t conceal her tail and ears very long.”

 

“Oh right, I forgot about that! You’re able to hide them?” In response, Eli’s ears bd tail seemed to disappear into thin air. Even the strong aura around her faded a bit, to which Nozomi frowned. “I think you look much cuter with ‘em.”

 

“C-cute? They’re just natural,” they appeared again, and Eli looked away blushing. 

 

“I like them!” Nozomi exclaimed, watching as Eli’s face got more red. She reached out, touching her ears and giving the warm fur a little rub. She had to suppress a laugh when the girl let out a small noise. “So soft~”

 

“Hey!” Nico suddenly rounded the corner in her fox form, running right toward them and launching herself at Nozomi - who caught the small fox no problem. “S-something is chasing me!”

 

“Chasing you?” Eli turned just in time to avoid getting hit in the face as another creature lunges forward. A flash of orange was all Nozomi saw before she was on her back from the force. 

 

The world around her went fuzzy as she hit the ground, the air in her lungs forced out. 

 

“Gotcha!” Another voice said, earning a yelp from Nico, who jumped off of the girl they were on top of, followed by the other creature. 

 

“What… is that?” She managed, sitting up worth he help of Eli. 

 

“It looks like a cat but,” the two looked at them as Nico changed into her human form, followed by the cat doing the same and crashing into her. “She’s definitely a Yokai.”

 

“A cat!” Nozomi smiled. The catgirl heard her, her orange ear flicking toward her. She tilted her head, still sitting on top of Nico. 

 

“You smell good, Nya!” She exclaimed suddenly, jumping off and rubbing toward Nozomi. She turned into an orange cat half way through, skidding to a halt by her feet. Nozomi bent down and picked her up, and the cat purred it’s her chest. “You’re really pretty! I’m Rin.”

 

“Nozomi, and this is Eli,” she pointed to the blonde. “And the girl you jumped on was Nico.”

 

“Nice to meet you all,” the cat purred. Nozomi scratched under her chin, and the cat fell into a blissful purr. Her eyes closed, and she rested into Nozomis chest. 

 

“What brings you to my shrine?” Eli asked, looking at the cat in suspicion. 

 

“Same thing that brought a lot of us here! Nozomis energy is sooo cool, Nya! It’s like, when you get that good scratch in the best spot and you feel all calm and happy. It’s so strong!”

 

“My energy?” Nozomi asked, looking to Eli, who didn’t respond to her. 

 

“‘Us’?” She questioned. The cat nodded, looking toward the cherry blossom tree where two girls stood watching them. The brown haired girl looked out from behind the red haired girl, her small fluffy ears twitching and her fox-like tail was between her legs. 

 

The other girl on the other hand, had her sharp ears perked up, and her tail was held out straight. She watched them in suspicion, seeming to protect the other. 

 

“Hanayo, Maki!” The cat jumped down, running toward them and turning into her human form before colliding with the brunette. 

 

“Who’re they?” Nico asked, finally recovered and standing beside Nozomi. Suddenly, both Eli and Nico hid behind her, glaring at the red haired girl. 

 

“This is Hanayo, isn’t she cute, Nya? She’s got such fluffy fur!” Rin explained, patting the girls head. “And this is Maki. She’s strong and powerful, Nya!”

 

“N-nice to meet you,” Hanayo bowed. The red haired girl crossed her arms, watching them. She didn’t speak, only stared at them. 

 

“My pleasure,” Nozomi greeted them, stepping forward. Maki growled at her, but Nozomi just smiled and kept walking toward them. The wolf stepped back, her tail between her legs as she approached, and Rin gasped. 

 

“Woah! Maki is scared of a human?!”

 

“I am not! She-she can’t be human,” she mumbled, bowing her head. 

 

“I’m human, I promise,” she giggled, reaching out to the wolf. She flinched back, looking at the hand and then to Nozomis face. Hesitantly, she reached out with her own hand to shake it. 

 

“I’m Nozomi,” she introduced herself. “Those two scardy foxes are Eli and Nico.”

 

Maki’s eyes went from Nozomi to the other two, her face quickly becoming red as she looked back at her friends beside her. Eli slowly approached, touching Nozomis shoulder. She could feel her trembling. 

 

“She’s a Wolf,” She said with a scared frown. “Wolves and kitsune don’t get along very well.”

 

“Well, we’ll just have to try then!” 

 

“What?”

 

“You guys can stay here if you need too. You all look dirty and exhausted from a long journey. I’ll show you to the bath,” Nozomi turned to Eli, who looked at her with wide eyes. “Can you get them a room?”

 

“Okay… hey wait! This is my shrine!” Nozomi didn’t hear her, and even if she did, she would have ignored her. 

 

“The bath is right here, and in the back is a hot spring. You must be tired. Please get comfortable,” she smiled. 

 

“Thank you, Nya!” Rin hugged her, nuzzling into her cheek. Hanayo bowed in thanks, while Maki just stared at the curtain. “Oh I forgot! Maki is afraid of water, Nya.”

 

“Am not,” the wolf flushed, huffing and storming into the room. The others followed close behind, leaving Nozomi behind. 

 

“Well that’s interesting,” Eli sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. “Their room is ready.”

 

“Aw thank you~” Nozomi giggled watching the fox mumble to herself. She stared at Eli for a moment, a content smile on her face as she let her thoughts trail from their paths. 

 

“Nozomi?” Eli suddenly asked, snapping her fingers in front of her face. “You okay? Tired? Why don’t you take a nap.”

 

“Hm? No, I’m okay,” she reassured, yawning. “Well, maybe a small nap wouldn’t hurt.”

 

“I’ll let Rin know,” Eli smiled. “And Nico can do the rest of your work for you so don’t worry.”

 

Nozomi laughed, already hearing the foxes distressed growling and huffing when she had to do double the work.

 

She quickly waved the Goddess off, heading toward her room. A sudden wave of exhaustion hit her as soon as she opened her door, and she stripped slowly. Sighing, Nozomi got into her bed and pulled the covers up to her shoulders and laid on her side. 

 

It didn’t take long for her to fall asleep, her dreams taking over into a blissful darkness. 


	5. Bonus Chapter!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the first Bonus Chapter! There will be a few of these - sort of as if they were intermissions - between high points of the story. Because I’m a sadist. And I like being a tease to my readers. Hope you enjoy~
> 
> Oh, and they’ll all be relatively short lol

Nico looked down from where she sat on the roof of the shrine, her black tail hanging off the side beside her paw. Her he’s bobbed up and down as she fought off the temptation of sleep. The sun was especially nice today and the warmth on her fur made her sleepy. 

 

_ Maybe a few minutes would be okay,  _ she yawned.  _ It’s not like Nozomi doesn’t sleep for longer when she ‘naps’. _

 

She rested her chin on her paws, closing her eyes and dozing off. 

 

Her nap didn’t last long, however, as something moved in the cherry blossom beside the shrine. Her head shot up, her ears alert and her eyes scanning the tree. 

 

After a few moments of nothing, she sighed. With a huff she rested her head back down. 

 

Only for something to hit her on the head. She growled, lifting her head again and looking down at the orange creature sitting on a low branch. 

 

“Hey!” It called, its feline tail swaying happily. 

 

“What do you want?” She asked, annoyed. Before the cat answered, something barked from a bit away. 

 

Her eyes scanned the bushes surrounding the barrier of the shrine, and a flash of red caught her eye a bit off. She leaned, trying to get a better look. Her instincts kicked in when the wolf’s head lifted and looked directly at her. 

 

She was paralyzed, staring into the strange purple eyes that held her in place. There was an animalistic, feral and predatory look to them, and it sent shivers down her spine. 

 

Nico leaned in a bit more, her paws slipping out from under her. It took her a moment before she realized she had started to slip. She shifted, screeching in surprise. 

 

She clawed desperately at the roof, but couldn’t get a good enough grip and eventually fell, landing in a heap on the ground. She groaned, standing up and rubbing her head. 

 

Suddenly, something jumped out from the tree, and, thinking it was the wolf, she struggled to stand up and sprinted off, shifting in the process. 

 

She rounded the corner roughly, running into something hard but soft. 

 

She sniffed, expecting to smell Eli or even Nozomis strange scent, but instead was met with the scent of aggression. 

 

Nico, having fallen into her back after the impact, looked up at the large wolf, her heart beating out of her chest. It looked down at her, and their eyes met.  _ Pretty... _

 

Nico froze again, but she didn’t know if it was of fear or something else. The wolf held her gaze, then stepped back and tilted her head. The fox rolled over onto her paws, looking at her and opened her mouth to say something when suddenly she was jumped from the side. 

 

Orange flashed in her vision before she took off again, running toward where Nozomis scent was coming from. 

 

_ What the hell?! What the hell?!  _ She stumbled over we paws, skidding to a halt before continuing to run. She looked over her shoulder, seeing whatever it was chasing her still following close behind.  _ WHAT THE HELL?! _

 

Nozomi and Eli came into her view, having a “moment” - as she referred to it as.  _ Stop flirting and pay attention!! _

 

“Hey!” She screeched, running toward them and launching herself at Nozomi. “Something is chasing me!”

 

_ More like two somethings! _ Her heart pounded as she thought of the wolf’s face again, and her ears felt warm - from the sun, she figured. 

 

Nozomi crashed to the ground, and Nico jumped away only to be held under someone’s weight. 

  
“Gotcha!” It called, and Nico whimpered. The laughter of Nozomi and Eli reached her, and she whined into the dirt.  _ Dammit!  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be out next week!


	6. Chapter V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nozomi buys a present for Eli. It doesn't end as she expected. 
> 
> Why won't anyone explain anything to her?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next chapter, early too! I'm not very confident in this one, but I hope you all like it! Major plot development ahead, my fellow mortals. Enjoy~

Nozomi woke with a heavy weight on her stomach, another on her legs and something warm by her head. She tried to move her legs, to no avail. She tried to open her eyes, only to be met with a soft, orange tail flicking over her face. 

 

She used her free hand to reach up to pat the orange cat beside her head, earning a purring noise in response. Once the cat had moved in her sleep, she lifted her body enough to see what else was sleeping soundly with her. 

 

The blue haired shrine maiden first saw the small blonde bear-like creature curled up on her stomach, it’s fluffy tail covering its face and paws. The tanuki slept soundly, much like the cat laying across her pillows. 

 

Next her gaze landed on the huge, red wolf at her feet. At first, it startled her. But when it lifted its head and looked at her with sleepy eyes, she couldn’t help but smile at the cuteness. 

 

She laid back down, sighing deeply as she stared up at the roof. The cat beside her head stirred, a cold nose bumping into Nozomis temple. She flinched, startling the cat and the Tanuki into looking up at her. The two of them looked at her, then at each other. 

 

“Morning, nya!” Rin nuzzled into her hair, pawing at the messy strands of deep blue-purple. 

 

“Morning,” she offered a smile, patting her head. “Why are you all sleeping in my bed?”

 

“It’s warm,” Maki replied, looking up at them and yawning. 

 

“And you smell good, Nya,” Rin explained, lifting her head up from her hair. “Like, really good!”

 

“Do I?” Nozomi asked, suddenly conscious of the fact she hadn’t bathed yet. 

 

“It’s really strong,” Maki mumbled. “Like a calling card to us. We ran into a lot of Yokai on the way here saying they were following some sort of strangely familiar scent.”

 

“Maki had to fight a lot of others, Nya. She almost died a few times too,” Rin looked sadly at her friend. 

 

“Died?” Nozomi looked at them, concerned.  _ Umi said the same thing. That I smelt oddly good. I use the same soap as Eli, and she doesn’t smell any different. _

 

“Nozomi,” a knock at the door alerted the four on the bed, all looking toward the door as it opened to reveal Eli, the blonde carrying a tray of food. “Uhm.”

 

Maki growled, standing up defensively between Nozomi and Eli, her tail sticking straight out as Rin and Hanayo stood by her face. 

 

“H-hey,” Nozomi patted the wolf’s shoulder, and the red beast let her tail drop as she looked at her. “Why are you all so agressive? It’s just Eli,”

 

The four Yokai looked at each other, before they all settled down in some sort of agreed ceasefire. 

 

“I brought you something to eat,” Eli said, not moving from the door. “It’s just curry and rice.”

 

Maki got off the bed, shifting into her human form, and took the tray from Eli before turning and giving it to Nozomi. She glared at the fox, who seemed to flinch at the intensity. Eli stepped back and closed the door, and Nozomi felt a sting of sadness in her chest. 

 

Her stomach growled, and she began eating the food in front of her, sharing with the three Yokai beside her. 

  
  


After she had finished her food, she changed into casual clothing, planning to go into town for some shopping. She threw on a pink sweater-shirt, a black skirt and black stockings. Her hair was tied into its usual two low tails, draped over her shoulders. 

 

“Where’re you going?” Rin asked, jumping up to sit on the dresser. Her ears flicked, and Nozomi scratched the cats head. 

 

“Just into town to get a few things,” she explained, putting on her shoes. 

 

“Alone?” Maki asked, sitting on the edge of the bed in her human form. “You shouldn’t go alone.”

 

“I’ll be alright,” she smiled. But the way Maki stood up, followed by Hanayo and Rin, showed they had full intentions to go with her. 

 

“We’ll come with you!” Hanayo beamed, her hands gripped together happily in front of her. “Right Maki?”

 

“Yeah,” she mumbled, her tail wagging behind her. Nozomi chuckled at her childlike excitement. Rin bounded around the bed, her tail held high. 

 

“You’ll have to hide your ears and tails, though,” she said, and the three looked at her confused. 

 

“We’re coming in our Yokai form, Nya” Rin explained, allowing Maki and Hanayo to shift into their animal forms on the bed. “It’s safer. no one will mess with you!”

 

Nozomi rubbed her neck, giving in. “Alright, but behave.”

 

The three beamed at her, following her out.

 

She walked past Nico, who looked at the three tailing Yokai in confusion. “Why are they following you?”

 

“I’m not sure, but they want to come with me into town.”

 

“Oh,” Nico seemed to be conflicted about this, her eyes showing her adversity to the idea. But she shrugged, leaving them alone. Nozomi raised a brow, but continued on her way. After a few steps, she turned to see Maki still looking in the direction Nico had gone. 

 

“Maki, Nya?” Rin asked, pawing at her face. The wolf jumped, startled, but continued to follow. 

 

“Sorry,” she huffed. Rin jumped onto her back, joined by Hanayo. The two seated themselves comfortably, and Nozomi just laughed. 

 

The exited the shrine, walking down the steps and waving good bye to Owata. 

  
  


The town was lively, the streets decorated in reds, oranges and browns, with many food stands being set up. Nozomi looked around, amazed. The town was much bigger than her home town, and it felt somewhat intimidating. 

 

Maki bumped her head on Nozomis leg in a reassuring way, and she patted the wolf’s head. 

 

“Mommy, look!” A small child pulled on his mothers sleeve, pointing to them. “It’s a big doggy!”

 

“My,” the mother stepped back, the wolf looking at them. Nozomi looked too, smiling. 

 

“She doesnt bite,” she explained. “You can pet her if you’d like.”

 

The mother looked at her child, who looked up pleasingly. She let the boy go, and he ran up to them. His small hands rubbed at Maki’s head, smiling brightly. 

 

“So soft! She’s so pretty! What’s her name, Miss?”

 

“Her names Maki,” she smiled, patting the wolf head as well. “The cat is Rin and the Tanuki is Hanayo.”

 

“Wow! So cute!” He smiled up at her, before returning to his mother and walking away. 

 

Nozomi chuckled, continuing on toward a large store, entering the building and pointing to Maki to stay by the side. 

 

She looked around, seeing many kinds of sweets all around and enjoying the scent of sugar. “Welcome!” Someone called, poking his head from behind the counter. He was quite handsome, his hair short and black, and his brown eyes covered by a pair of glasses. 

 

“Thank you,” she smiled. “I called in an order a few days ago. Name is Tojo.”

 

“Right! It’s ready, just let me go grab it.”

 

Nozomi waited, leaning on the counter absently as she looked around. 

 

“Here you go,” he handed her a large box, smiling sweetly. “Nozomi right? My names Toshi.”

 

“Nice to meet you,” she offered her hand to him, which he shook gently. 

 

“I was wondering if you’d like to get something to eat after? I’m off in about an hour.”

 

“Sure! I’d love too,” she smiled, which he returned.

 

“Awesome. I’ll meet you back here in an hour?” He asked, and she nodded. 

 

“Sounds good to me.”

 

She took her box, exiting the store and holding the door for Maki to exit with Rin and Hanayo still on her back. 

 

“He was soooo hitting on you, Nya!” Rin laughed. 

 

“Don’t worry, you are the only one who can hear us,” Hanayo explained. Nozomi nodded. 

 

“He was just being nice,” she shrugged. 

 

“Nozomi,” Maki frowned. “You’re so oblivious.”

 

“I am not,” Nozomi huffed, holding the box closer to her. 

 

“Whatever you say, Nya,” Rin snickered. Nozomi filled her eyes. 

 

“Anyway, there’s a small fountain near by. Want to go see it?” 

 

“Yes!” All three shouted in unison, earning a few glances at the sudden noises the animals made. A few people stepped away, suddenly realizing the giant wolf beside her. Nozomi didn’t pay them any mind, patting her head and leading the way. 

 

The fountain was huge, white marble with the image of a giant woman on top. Her hand was extended outward, as if beckoning to something. Her other hand was holding up some sort of jewel, which spouted some water. The base of the statue was where most of the water came from, covered in painted rose vines. 

 

The name plate was worn, but the rest of it was clean and shining. On top of the head, the woman wore what looked like a crown of thorns, with some sort of flower intertwined with them. 

 

A flash of black caught her attention as a crow landed onto of the woman’s hand, staring down at her. At first, it looked normal. But as she stared longer it’s feathers seemed otherworldly in colour, it’s eyes focused far to intelligently on her. 

 

Maki growled at it, and it flew away. 

 

“What was that?”

 

“Just a bird,” Maki replied quickly. Nozomi looked at her suspiciously, but shrugged it off. She sat down by the fountain, resting her back on the marble and allowing Maki and the others to curl up beside her. The sun was so warm, and she closed her eyes for a bit, enjoying the warmth. 

 

“Been awhile since I’ve seen such a young shrine maiden,” a man chuckled. Nozomi opened her eyes, looking at the old man in front of her. He rested his weight on an old looking cane, his eyes squinted to the point Nozomi swore she couldn’t see his eyes.

 

“How did you know?” She asked. 

 

“You have that aura. And those animals beside you,” he gestured to them. “No normal person is able to take such a beast as an Inugami.”

 

Maki lifted her head, looking at the old man. She flicked her ear, her paws moving to cover Rin and Hanayo. 

 

“The statue is of another shrine maiden from long ago. Myth says she killed a tyrant God to save this here town. But that was hundreds of years ago,” he tapped his cane on the ground once, and a bird flew to land on his shoulder. He scratched its head, and it turned to look at Nozomi. 

 

Maki growled at it, her ears perked forward. 

 

“Be careful, maiden,” the old man warned. “Everything comes at a cost. Be caustious of the cunning fox, and mindful of the birds.”

 

He spoke in a haunting way, and Nozomi felt uneasy at his warning. Her stomach flipped, as if she unconsciously knew what he meant. But her conscious brain had no idea what he meant. He turned to leave, the bird on his shoulder looking back at her. 

 

“What did he mean?” She asked, looking at Maki, who looked as confused as she did. 

 

“Nozomi!!” Someone yelled, and she looked up to see Nico running right toward them, her ears and tail evident as she sped through the people carelessly. She was about to scold her when she noticed the scratches and blood covering her skin and cloths. “It’s bad, really really bad.”

 

“What is?”

 

“Something… some _ things _ attacked the shrine! Owata is,” she struggled. “She’s hurt. Badly. And Eli is-“

 

Nozomi jumped to her feet, the box in her lap falling onto the ground, the cake inside spilling into the ground. 

 

“I’m going,” Nozomi rushed forward, only for Maki to jump in front of her, pushing her back with her massive body. 

 

“You can’t!” She growled. “It’s dangerous!”

 

“But Eli-“

 

“No!” Nico hissed, pushing her back. “You have to stay safe! Eli said to keep you safe!”

 

Nozomi fought in Nicos grip, gaining everyone’s attention around them. “I have to go!”

 

She pulled forward, and Nico fell backwards. Maki, too, seemed affected by the action. She crouched low, whimpering and covering her ears in fear. 

 

The girl rushed forward, speeding through the crowd of people that had gathered and then split to allow her through. 

 

The cake laid on the ground, discarded and forgotten as the Yokai ran after her. 


	7. Chapter VI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter went through five revisions - and may or may not go through another one. But I thought I'd post it for you! Thank you to everyone who has commented and enjoyed this story thus far. <3

Her chest was heaving, her throat dry and sore. Her muscles screamed out at her in pain, but Nozomi refused to stop. She had to reach the shrine.

 

Even before she was anywhere near, she could see the black cloud moving in on it. She slowed down, catching her breath and squinting to make out the figures moving in practised unison. 

 

She forced her tired legs to move forward again, running toward the shrine. Her mind barely registered the distressed calls from the yokai behind, trying desperately to catch up to her inhuman speed. 

 

The maiden barely made it up the stairs before her legs gave out. She fell to her knees, her body screaming in protest as she looked up. She could see Eli, her seven tails looked like they were on fire, and her face contorted into the of a beast unlike she had ever seen.

 

It was horrid; her entire body seemed to have grown double - maybe triple - its original size. Her ears were larger, her teeth sharp and protruding past her lips, and her eyes holding a feral glint as she reached out to the tengu trying to claw at her with her own claws. Her body seemed to hold more muscle than it had before, flexing underneath her skin like an animal trying to get loose from a cage. Her clothes were torn, barely covering her anymore, hanging limply off of her body.

 

“Eli,” she called out, but it fell on deaf ears as the blonde lunged forward, her teeth digging into the birds leg, blood dripping from her jaws as she flung the yokai away from her. Next, she reached out, grabbing at a few of them as they circled her.

 

Nozomi stayed there, frozen as she watched this beast take down all of the birds around her with unimaginable power and strength. She looked at the Goddess in awe, her mouth slightly agape. The creature in front of her wasn’t Eli; it was beautifully horrifying. A beast, a demon. A monster.

 

It was like watching a forest fire; beautiful and terrifying all at once. Deadly but awestricking all the same. 

 

The others had finally caught up to her, Nico jumping in front of Nozomi, blocking her view of Eli. “Nozomi…!”

 

She didn’t reply, just stared forward, listening to the growls and screeches of the beasts in front of her fighting for life and death. “Nozomi?” She asked again, shaking her shoulders.

 

“Whats…” she couldn’t finish, her throat felt raw. 

 

“They’re fighting,” Maki said flatly. “Over, uh,” she turned to Nico.

 

“Over you,” she finished, looking away.  _ Over me? Why?  _

 

Nozomi didn’t ask, just pushed Nico out of the way. The fox yelped in surprise, falling onto her butt, Maki running to her side to help her up. Rin and Hanayo hid behind them, both fearful of what was going on. 

 

She, despite the desperate pleading of Nico, stepped toward the beast before her, looking up at the birds. She reached out, touching the arm of the blonde beast-like Eli, and it turned to her, its jaw parted, blood dripping down her chin. Her hands and long, protruding claws bloodied and coated in feathers. Nozomi could see,  _ smell  _ even, the dead bodies around them. 

 

She inhaled deeply, looking up at Eli, who’s eyes flashed something other than the pure rage she was giving off. The birds cowered away, carrying their wounded with them.

 

One flew closer, his voice loud and demanding. 

 

“Don’t think you can have her yourself,” he spoke slowly, deliberately carrying out his words to seem more intimidating. “We will be back for her. She doesn’t belong to you! She belongs to all of us!”

 

Eli jumped forward, causing Nozomi to fall backward, landing hard on the ground. Her vision blurred, but she could vaguely make out Eli tearing into the tengu’s chest, before her vision went entirely black. 

  
  


It didn’t take long for her vision to return to her. She groaned, rubbing her head. Her head pounded, but she tried her best to ignore it in favour of looking around. She could still hear growling, but it didn’t seem to be from Eli anymore.

 

Maki stood over her, human - save for the ears and tail - with Nico beside her, both protecting her from what looked like Eli. But it also wasn’t her. 

 

The beast roared at them, her long tails flicking in anger as she tried to lung toward them. Her claws were readied to tear, her eyes wild. 

 

“No!” Nozomi screamed, pushing them away from her, and lunging into Eli’s chest, her claws scraping at her sides, ripping through the fabric and into the soft flesh beneath. Nozomi hissed in pain, but held the beast close. 

 

It growled, clawing at her back, and Nozomi cried out in pain. But she persisted. “Eli..!” She said through gritted teeth. 

 

The beast growled, looking down at her. Nozomi squeezed tighter. “Eli!” 

 

The beast fell to all fours, holding Nozomi under her. It looked down at her, the familiar blue eyes of the Goddess locking into her own. The world fell away, leaving only the two of them. Nozomi smiled weakly, reaching out with her arms, her hands gently touching the beasts furry face, pulling her down toward her. She planted a chaste kiss to her forehead, and suddenly the beast fell forward, and she let her arms fall to its shoulders. 

 

She braced for a heavy impact, closing her eyes and tensing her body, but instead was met with wetness on her face. She opened her eyes, staring back into Eli’s tearfilled eyes. The blonde looked down at her, her hands on either side of Nozomis face. 

 

They stayed like that a while, Eli sobbing, Nozomi holding her face with a soft smile.

 

Finally, the girl collapsed onto her. Her breathing was steadying, and by the weight - as light as it was - on her chest, she guessed she had passed out. The maiden moved her hand from the ground where it fell to her head, pulling the feathers out and smoothing the rough patches. It was that moment she was keenly aware of her own injuries. 

 

But she grit her teeth and fought through it. Carefully, she lifted Eli up into her lap, sitting up with much difficulty. The ground behind her was stained in her own blood, and her body reacted on its own. She choked on her own pain, looking up to see Maki and Nico trying to help Eli up while hands gently picked her up. Rin and Hanayo carried her gently toward the shade, placing her down.

 

Nozomi snuck a glance at Eli, her almost naked body being less than carefully carried by Maki toward the shrine. She sighed, leaning back and closing her eyes. The pain became too much, and she let out a pained sob as it took over her mind. All she could think of was the pain. But...

 

At least Eli was alright.


	8. Chapter VII

Nozomi groaned, slowly raising her body up from the bed. Her sides ached numbly, her back stiff. The bandages on her body shifted awkwardly. She twisted her body the best she could to fix it, her hand running down the exposed wound.

 

It had started to heal quickly, thanks to Hanayo’s abilities and knowledge of medicine. But it was still an open wound. The maiden ran a finger over the skin, flinching as she touched a rather sensitive spot. She recoiled, looking at the blood on her fingers before sighing. 

 

She fixed her wrappings, carefully stepping off of the bed. Turning the door knob, opening the door, and exiting the room were all draining tasks as her injured body had barely moved from the bed in four days. 

 

But she was determined to get up and help out again. It had only been Nico doing the chores, but she figured Maki, Rin and Hanayo had been helping her with the cleaning. She glanced outside, noticing there wasn’t any feathers or blood on the ground anymore, which confirmed her theory. 

 

“...D-Don’t say that!” Nozomi chuckled as Nico suddenly came into view, falling out of one of the storage closets, Maki yelping and falling on top of her. 

 

“Well, good morning~” She teased, noticing their flushed faces. “You two seem close, hmm?”

 

“I-it’s not what it looks like,” Maki deadpanned, Nico covering her face. 

 

“Hoh-oh? It isn’t? It looks like- erk!” Nozomi fell to her knee, gripping her sides. Stinging pain told her she had moved far to much for her healing body. The two Yokai scrambled to her side, helping her up while Nico looked at her sides.

 

“You’re bleeding again,” she scolded. “Didn’t Hanayo say not to move around?”

 

“Yes but-”

 

“No buts!” Nico lead her back to her room. “You need rest! I’ve got everything covered.”

 

“Barely,” Maki mumbled, earning a glare from the fox. 

 

“But I wanted to-”

 

“Rest!” Nico scolded again, helping her lay back down on the bed. “You’re injured and need to rest. I’ll let you know when Eli wake sup, okay?”

 

Nozomi frowned. “She’s not awake yet? It’s been four days.”

 

“Erk- she’s uhm, well, uh,” Nico scratched her cheek, looking away. “An-anyway! Rest up, I’ll send Rin or Maki in with food soon. So just relax okay?”

 

Nozomi nodded, laying her head back down with a sigh as Nico left the room. She closed her eyes, deafened by the empty silence. She was bored, lonely, and most importantly, restless.

 

She sat up again, moving a bit quicker off her bed and making her way to the door. Opening it a bit, she looked out to make sure Nico or Maki wasn’t around, and she quickly exited. Her body ached still, but she ignored it the best she could in favour of thinking off the cherry trees. How they looked on her first day here. The way Eli greeted her. The way she looked with the sun beaming down on her, making her glow.

 

She sighed, shaking her head and rounding the corner. Rin was sitting outside Eli’s room, her ear twitching as Nozomi came closer.

 

“You’re supposed to be resting, nya,” she scolded, standing up. 

 

“I know, but Nico said I could walk around a bit,” she lied with a smile. The cat gave her a curious look. But shrugged. 

 

“If Nico said so then it’s okay, nya.”

 

“Thank you,” she smiled, patting her head. “May I go in?”

 

Rin stiffened, the fur on her tail sticking up. “N-no you can’t nya!”

 

“Why not?” Nozomi asked, cross. She bit her lip to prevent her from lashing out like she now desperately wanted too. No one seemed to be telling her anything!

 

“B-because uh,” Rin scratched her ear. “It’s all dark, nya! No light!”

 

“I think I can manage in the dark,” She replied matter-of-factly, reaching for the door. She turned the knob, glancing at Rin, who was frantically looking around. Once the door opened, she slipped inside and closed it behind her.

 

Like Rin had said, it was very dark. She could barely see anything save for the door in front of her. It felt like she had entered an entirely different world. She took a few steps forward, bumping into something soft. Her hand wandered the surface, feeling the sheets and guiding her toward the top of the bed. Her hand ran past Eli’s hair, and she stopped.

 

She knelt down, running her hand through the soft hair of the Goddess, sighing contently. “Please wake up, Eli.”

 

The girl didn’t stir, but Nozomi still pleaded. “Eli, please.”

 

Still, nothing. The maiden reached for her shoulder, letting her hand slide down to her hand and gripping it tightly. She bent her body down to lay her head on the bed, holding her hand close to her face. Gently kissing the top of her knuckles, she closed her eyes. 

 

The girl stirred, and Nozomi looked up roughly, which caused her to pull on her wounds. She let out a whimper, holding onto her sides.  _ It hurts, _ she whined. 

 

“...mi…” Eli mumbled, moving a bit more. She could hear the fox sniff the air, and suddenly she jumped up. “Nozomi!”

 

If it weren’t for the pain, she would have jump up onto the bed, smothering her in hugs. But her body was injured and thus she remained where she was.

 

Cold hands touched her exposed shoulder, and she whimpered again. “Nozomi… you should be resting.”

 

“But I wanted to see if you were okay,” she replied weakly.

 

“Of course I am!” Eli exclaimed. “I’m a Goddess, I’m always okay. But you’re human, and your body needs to rest!”

 

“But,” Nozomi whined again, feeling the girl lift her up in her arms and place her on the bed. 

 

“No buts, you need to rest!” Eli sighed, removing her hands from her back gently. But Nozomi reached forward, dragging her back down and holding her close.

 

“I was so worried,” she whispered. “I was so, so worried.”

 

“I’m sorry,” Eli nuzzled her neck, and Nozomi sighed again. Her arms gave way, falling back down to her sides. She looked up, Eli’s blue eyes seeming to glow in the dark as she stared at them. The maiden reached up again, caressing her cheek gently. 

 

Her heart beat in her chest, her hands trembling as she slowly pulled Eli’s face down to her own. She could feel her hot breath on her face, and she closed her eyes, leaning in a bit more. Anticipation built up in her chest, and she leaned forward just a bit more and-

 

_ Bang! _

 

The two jumped, looking in shock at the door. Nico stood there, her mouth open as if she was about to yell something, but froze just before it left her mouth. 

 

Maki leaned in behind her, blinking at them before pulling Nico back roughly. The fox made a small squeak before the door shut behind them.

 

“W-well,” Eli coughed awkwardly. Nozomi giggled, closing her eyes and laying down with a small sigh. “How-how are your, uh, your wounds?”

 

“Healing,” she smiled, eyes still closed. “It’s hard to walk sometimes and they get kind of painful, but it’s not unbearable.”

 

“I see,” the fox mumbled, her hand trailing over Nozomi’s side. Even with her eyes closed, the maiden could feel her distress. 

 

“Hey,” she poked her cheek after opening her eyes. “It’s okay! I’ll heal. It’s not like it’s a big deal, y’know?”

 

“But-”

 

“No buts!” She smiled, putting her finger to her mouth to silence her. “Really, I’m fine!”

 

Just as the words left her mouth, she cringed. She must have been laying to long on her back, as evident by the pain now searing down her spine. She groaned, lifting her back off the bed with Eli’s help. 

 

“You shouldn’t lay like that,” the blonde said softly, helping her rearrange her body into a more comfortable position. Once she was satisfied, Eli slid off the bed, standing beside her.

 

“Eli,” Nozomi started, her voice serious. “Why did those yokai attack the shrine?”

 

Eli froze, her body visibly stiff. Nozomi frowned. 

 

“Eli.”

 

“I…” she stepped back. The fox fiddled with her hair, twirling it around her finger and looking away. “I don’t know.”

 

“You do know,” Nozomi pressed. “The fact you’re denying it shows me you  _ do _ know.”

 

Eli didn’t respond. She turned, about to leave, when Nozomi growled. “Do NOT leave this room.”

 

The fox fell to her knees with a hiss, holding herself up with her elbows. Nozomi gasped, moving to help her, but was forced back by the pain of her sides. “Eli!”

 

“T-thats why,” she breathed, standing up again and turning to look at her. “That’s why.”

 

“Why what?”

 

“Why I can’t tell you,” she rubbed her face, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Because of the repercussions. For both of us.”

 

“Eli,” she said softly. “Tell me. I can’t keep pretending I don’t know something when I do. Tell me, Eli.”

 

“Alright,” she looked at her hands. “Have you ever heard the story of Lady Kohana?”

 

Nozomi shook her head, listening intently. 

 

“She was a shrine maiden here, hundreds of years ago. She was very good at what she did, and attracted all kinds of people - humans and yokai alike. They called her the first Otome.”

 

“Otome? I heard Kotori say that when they were here. What does that mean?”

 

“Even within the Gods, there is always those who abuse their power. There was one god, Kaito, the God of the Ocean, who did just this. His shrine was in this town. One day, he decided to send his yokai to attack the town, taking it over in days. Of course, the other Gods couldn’t let that happen. They bestowed some of their combined power into a vessel; a shrine maiden.”

 

“They called them Otome. Maidens with the power to control yokai with just a single word. With their abilities, they can even kill a God. Lady Kohana took it upon herself to destroy his reign of terror on the town, killing him. She’s seen as a hero in this town now. Otome are born out of necessity. When one is born, it means there’s a God who will go rogue and they are often drawn toward the shrine that hold that God…”

 

“Oh,” Nozomi let out a breath, her hand covering her mouth.  _ That means… _

 

The two looked at each other in silence. The silence was deafening, filling her with unease and fear. Her heart sank to her stomach, causing her to cover her face with her heads as the situation set in.  _ I wish I didn’t know. I wish she hadn’t told me.  _

 

“I wasn’t going to tell you,” Eli broke the silence. “I didn’t want you to worry. I didn’t want you to  _ know  _ your fate.”

 

Nozomi remained silent, feeling hurt and betrayed. She should have been told as soon as she knew. When did she know? Did she know right away, or did she find out later? 

 

Did this mean she would kill Eli in the future?

 

_ Is there anyway to prevent that? _

**Author's Note:**

> Ayakashi - AKA Yōkai; often possess animal features (such as the kappa, which looks similar to a turtle, or the tengu which has wings), yet others appear mostly human (like kitsune).


End file.
